WBC Special Preview – Melvin Jerusalem vs Siyakholwa Kuse 2
WBC Special Preview – Melvin Jerusalem vs Siyakholwa Kuse II
Melvin Jerusalem and Siyakholwa Kuse run it back in South Africa, seven months on from the first encounter.
Full fight details, how to watch, previews, betting odds, prediction can be found below.
Fight Details
Melvin Jerusalem vs Siyakholwa Kuse
WBC Straw-Weight Title
Emperors Palace, Kempton Park, Gauteng, South Africa
Saturday, May 16th, 2026
How to Watch
South Africa: Super Sport
International: Golden Gloves Web
Streaming by: IME platform
Fighter Profiles
Melvin Jerusalem
WBC Champion
3 Straw-weight defenses 2024-2025
Pacquiao-Elorde Awards FOY 2025
Straw-weight World Champion 2023
OPBF Straw-weight Champion 2021
Siyakholwa Kuse
WBC #2 Straw-weight
WBC Silver Straw-weight Champion, 2024
African Boxing Union Champion 2023
South African Champion 2019/2023/2024
Jerusalem vs Kuse II fight preview
By James Blears
Often opportunities come but once in a lifetime, but occasionally, what goes around comes around and this is exactly the case of Siyakholwa “Siya” Kuse, who is fighting Melvin “El Gringo” Jerusalem for the WBC strawweight Green and Gold Belt for the second occasion in less than six months, this time on the South African’s home turf of Emperor’s Palace, Johannesburg on Thursday April 16th.
Will Siya ever have a better opportunity to seize the Lion’s share of glory and gain South Africa’s pride? It’ll be Melvin’s fourth defence in his reign as the most svelte WBC Champion. He was aiming to fight a rematch against the formidable Oscar Collazo, who blisteringly removed Jerusalem’s crown when Melvin was WBO champion.
Earlier in his career, Jerusalem had lost a thrilling UD to legendary WBC Champion Wanheng Menayothin. To win the WBO plaudits he’d stopped Masataka Taniguichi in two. But in his first defence against Oscar, he really unraveled and came painfully unstuck. In that fight and on that fateful night, Jerusalem was constantly battered and was comprehensively bettered, not being able to come out for the seventh round. It’s no good crying about spilled milk.
Two fights later, Jerusalem went to Japan to defeat WBC Champion Yudai Shigeoka by SD. He knocked Yudai down with a counter right in round three and another short jolting right amidst a close-quarters encounter in round six. One helluva bounceback-comeback redemption!
He defeated Luis Castillo dropping him with a straight right in round one and went on to win by UD. Then the rematch with Yudai, which he this time won by UD and then Siya.
Melvin Jerusalem, aged thirty-one, has been round and about as a road warrior fighter during his career, but the first fight against the young, talented twenty-two-year southpaw was at home in the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City in the Philippines.
Quite a night, as it was the fiftieth anniversary of the fabled Thrilla in Manila, when Ali vs. Frazier’s third and final grandstand fighting to a standstill epic made history, which has since transformed into legend.
Following the hard-fought Kuse win, Jerusalem had been expecting to rematch Oscar, who is now WBA/WBO champion and still undefeated, 14-0, 11 KOs. But the negotiations became frayed and Oscar defended his WBO title against Jesus Haro. Oscar’s left eye was badly cut after an accidental clash of heads in the sixth, so he upped the ante plus the pace, giving Haro a smattering of a battering and Haro couldn’t continue after that round. Both Melvin and Oscar will hopefully meet again at a later date this year for the reckoning.
On paper it doesn’t seem to compare, but in their first fight Siya indeed made it competitive. Boxing is so much more to do with styles rather than plain stats. Throughout his relatively short career, Siya has proved that he’s a quick learner and an able, adept adapter. Just how much he’s gained in boxing IQ from all this first bruising encounter will become apparent in the rematch. Learning the lessons is classy.
On the other hand, it certainly wasn’t Jerusalem’s finest hour by a long chalk. The fight was delayed, started in the wee early hours because there was an unforeseen delay in flying in the officials and Melvin said he was trying to shake off feeling sleepy. But this time, he’ll be bright-eyed and much more alert. It was an alarm call. Determined to keep what’s his, he and his team are travelling to South Africa three weeks before the fight in order to acclimatize to the five thousand feet above sea level altitude. Again, the Referee and Judges will be from neutral countries, but nonetheless Melvin is determined to do better this time and he’s stated he’s going all out for a KO win, commenting: “This time it’s in my opponent’s home town, so I will do my level best to KO him, because this is the surest way to win there.”
Melvin is five feet two inches with a sixty-two-inch reach. Siya is three inches taller and his reach extends two extra inches more. Yet, in fight one it was Jerusalem who used the yardstick of distance better in order to connect more effectively and more frequently to get his tempered measure.
Although they are of small stature, it’s a test of iron willpower and consistency to make the forty-seven-kilo weight limit, especially for Jerusalem, who is no longer a spring chicken. As the body ages into its thirties, metabolism changes and slows down after the first flush of youth has departed. It gets harder to maintain and it takes greater discipline plus planning. The great Ricardo “Finito” Lopez said that throughout his sixteen years undefeated career he rigidly stuck to a spartan diet, and that included missing out on Festive fare. He said he was never more than two kilos above the stipulation, enabling him to focus on battling his opponent rather than the scales.
To this day, Ricardo is still sublime-slimline. While his greatest opponent Rosendo “Bufalo” Alvarez, who was the only man to draw with Ricardo having knocked him down in round two, is nowadays altogether more robust rather than rotund. And our dear Isaac “Tortas” Bustos has filled out a touch more modestly. Going further back, the Great Jimmy Wilde, “The Ghost with the Hammer in his hand,” who weighed next to nothing in his ring time, enjoyed his food post-career and put on a few pounds.
Modern weight control is accomplished with great finesse and with the help of dieticians, so strength, power and stamina are not dissipated by last-minute starvation. The great jockey Lester “Long Fellow” Piggott, who was five feet eight inches tall, had to maintain his weight at fifty kilos for many years. His recipe of pungent, aromatic Cuban cigars and scalding black coffee worked for him in the saddle. However, nowadays most nutritionists would bridle at such tactics for their boxers.
It’s never too late to learn, no matter what your age. The African proverb advises: “Ears that do not listen to advice, accompany the head when it is chopped off.” Concerning stamina and maintaining it properly: “You cannot run as fast as your shadow.”
The first action of Don Jose Sulaiman, at the beginning of his WBC Presidency after being unanimously elected in 1975, was to expel apartheid-ruled and riddled South Africa from World Boxing Council Boxing. Nelson Mandela, who was unjustly imprisoned for twenty-seven years but endured and emerged to become the first President of a free and democratic South Africa, was a keen boxer in his youth.
He summed it up by saying: “Boxing is egalitarian. In the ring, rank, age, colour and wealth are irrelevant.” This was Don Jose Sulaiman’s belief and Nelson Mandela’s conviction. It forever remains the core ethos of the WBC. The United Nations recognized Don Jose’s brave, supportive and vitally important stance, presenting him with an award for his unshakable belief, steadfast unity and constant loyalty.
South Africa and the Philippines are truly great boxing nations. Jerusalem will receive a major accolade at the upcoming Second annual Pacquiao/Elorde Boxing Awards in Manila. A win for Siya would bring its own plaudits in his homeland. Melvin is determined to try to deny him that. So, it’s a battle of experience and savvy against youth and its verve of energy. Fascinating to see which way the balance will tip this time around.
Both must make subtle changes in the rematch, but by its nature, no two fights are ever the same. Greek Philosopher Heraclitus stated: “No man ever steps into the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.” Yet, one constant remains. Iron will shall indeed prevail. All-time Great Evander Holyfield, who’s lived it, done it and achieved it, once said… and it’s especially applicable to strawweight: “It’s not the size of the man, but the size of his heart… that really matters.”
Betting Odds
4/9 Jerusalam
23/10 Kuse
16/1 Draw
WBC Memorable Straw-weights Fights
Nov. 13, 1998 – Ricardo Lopez vs. Rosendo Alvarez 2. The rematch, where “Finito” Lopez settled the score following their legendary draw, cemented his status as one of the greatest technical boxers in history.
Oct. 25, 1990 – Ricardo Lopez vs. Hideyuki Ohashi. Lopez traveled to Tokyo to defeat the legendary champion in nine rounds, beginning a historic undefeated title reign that would span nearly a decade.
Feb. 7, 1990 – Hideyuki Ohashi vs. Jum-Hwan Choi. A great victory for Japanese boxing. Ohashi returned the glory to Japan, ending a long world-title drought for his country.
Nov. 6, 2014 – Wanheng Menayothin vs. Oswaldo Novoa. A victory that launched the Menayothin era via a dominant stoppage of the tough Mexican champion, starting a reign of 12 successful title defenses.
Feb. 11, 2011 – Kazuto Ioka vs. Oleydong Sithsamerchai. In only his seventh pro fight, Ioka displayed elite composure to stop the then-undefeated Thai champion in the 5th round.
Aug. 23, 1997 – Ricardo Lopez vs. Alex Sanchez. A historic landmark for the division, a classic Mexico vs. Puerto Rican technical decision was reached in the 7th round.
Feb. 11, 2000 – Jose Antonio Aguirre vs. Wandee Chor Chareon. Aguirre traveled to Samut Sakhon to outpoint the local champion, initiating a strong four-year championship streak.
Nov. 27, 2020 – Panya Pradabsri vs. Wanheng Menayothin. One of the greatest upsets in Thailand. Pradabsri ended the 54-0 undefeated record and 12-defense streak by defeating him via UD.ico unification bout held at Madison Square Garden. Lopez stopped Sanchez in five rounds with a brilliant performance.
Mar. 31, 2024 – Melvin Jerusalem vs. Yudai Shigeoka I. A thrilling battle between the Philippines and Japan, with Jerusalem scoring two knockdowns to upset the then-unbeaten champion via SD.
Mar. 7, 1998 – Ricardo Lopez vs. Rosendo Alvarez. A tactical war that resulted in the only draw of Lopez’s career after a technical decision due to an accidental clash of heads in the eighth round.
